


The "Dangerous Wizard" of Old Corona

by newsies_of_corona



Series: The Alchemist Chronicles [1]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Series, Sad Varian (Disney), Tangled the series - Freeform, Varian Has Issues (Disney), the alchemist chronicles, varian explodes things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29243700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/newsies_of_corona/pseuds/newsies_of_corona
Summary: An insight into what Varian's life was like before meeting Rapunzel and dealing with the rocks. How did he begin alchemy? How did he meet Ruddiger? Why on earth does he have a shrine of Flynn Rider in his lab (well that one's a given)All of these questions are soon to be answered in the first part of The Alchemist Chronicles series!
Series: The Alchemist Chronicles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2147292
Comments: 14
Kudos: 32





	1. An Explosive Start

_BOOM!_

Another glass-shattering explosion sounds in the distance. This isn’t good. At all. In fact, the magnitude of these eruptions is enough to destroy _all_ of Old Corona in one fell swoop...but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that! I just have to focus on the task at hand: _staying alive._

“Alright, Varian. Explosions are going off...everywhere- _AGH!”_

A huge pipe zips past my head, forcing me to duck in cover. Phew, that was close. 

But this isn’t so bad? It’s uh...basically something out of a Flynn Rider novel! I can see it now…

_Flynnigan dodges debris as he ventures through the battlefield full of exploding-_

_“Varian!”_

The voice pulls me back into reality as another piece of machinery grazes my leg. It hurts, sure, but I have another problem on my hands. My _dad._ He still doesn’t know what happened. Frankly, I don’t really want him to know.

My breathing seems a little shallow...but that’s probably because I’m running! No other reason!

“Dad! I-I’m okay!” I shout back to him.

Is that a lie? Possibly. I’d much rather call it an exaggeration.

Anything for him not to worry about-

_“WOAH!”_

A piece of my hot water machine zooms right by. _Much_ too close for comfort.

Annnd that was _another_ close call. Alright, maybe what I said was _half_ a lie? It’s kinda hard to be “okay” when you’re running for your life. 

My eyes flick over to a large pipe on the sidelines of the village, and it’s just big enough to hide behind. Perfect!

Running over to my new destination, I hear my dad again. What he’s shouting is indecipherable because of the intense sound of falling debris surrounding us, but whatever it is, it’s not good. If my calculations are correct, I’ll definitely be in for a stern talking-to after this...or worse.

I have to admit, this really puts a damper on today. It was going so well...

**_Flashbacks…_ **

…

… 

_“Oh- you can’t see that, huh? Let me just...uh...break the fourth wall for a second, heh!”_

_Clap-clap!_

_“From the top!”_

* * *

**_That Morning:_ **

“Not to pat myself on the back or anything, heh, but this is looking great!”

… 

I say to...no one in particular. Unless you count the walls reverberating my voice back at me, heh. One thing I have to say for the underground tunnels: the acoustics are great!

But anyway, an alchemist does his best work alone, I’ve come to find out, so naturally, I work in my lab by myself most of the time. 

Or all of the time... 

I’ll admit, a little company _would_ be nice, but for this particular project, it’s probably best that I’m in solitary, heh!

My feet hit the floor, a little harder than expected, as I jump down from the ladder leaning up against my machine...and fall on my face.

“Ow…I forgot how high that ladder was, heh. And apparently how hard the ground was.”

I spring back up and poise a finger in the air, deepening my voice for a much needed dramatic effect. 

“But a mere injury cannot hinder me! I, _Varian_ , am determined to bring hot running water to my village! Even if I _die_ trying- _OW!_ ”

My monologuing is rudely interrupted by my face making impact with the ground _again._ I don’t even know what I tripped on...but I guess that’s not important right now.

“Let’s see, the outer shell of the machine is complete, just need to add the chemical reactant.”

My desk tables are full of compounds, I am an _alchemist_ , after all...but the solution I need isn’t here. Which can only mean one thing.

“...I need to make it.”

Now, this would be no problem, usually. Alchemy _is_ my passion and I’m an _expert_ in this field as you can see-

_CRASH!_

The sound of shattering glass meets my ears, making me wince. I slowly turn around to assess the damage, and sure enough, there’s a broken beaker on the floor.

“Aghhh...shoot. That was my last unused beaker, wasn’t it?”

After scanning the room one last time, my theory is proven correct. _Great._

“But it’s totally okay,” I tell myself. “I can just run over to my lab! Without dad catching me for chores...somehow.”

The odds aren’t terrific, but I can still try! It’s not that I don’t like chores, I’ve actually made them quite enjoyable via modern alchemy! But I really don’t want to be distracted from my current project. It’s _much_ more important than cleaning floors and washing windows, heh.

See, this machine I’m building has the capacity to pump hot running water throughout my _whole_ house! If it works, that is. 

...And it will! I have absolutely no doubts!

In truth, this one is just a test machine. The real deal, I’m hoping, will bring water to my _entire village!_ But first I have to make sure _this_ one functions properly. Baby steps, heh. And I can’t do that without the correct formula so...guess I’m off to my lab?

The trap door creaks as I climb out, I notice. That’s an easy fix. Just a little oil and it’s good to go! But I’ll probably have to fix that later, heh. 

The trapdoor is pretty old, anyway. Same with the rest of the tunnels. It’s interesting that I didn’t discover them until recently. I mean, they were right under our storage room the whole time! I had no idea why they were there, but I knew I had to make some use out of them! I set up shop and started on my hot water machine as soon as I could, without being caught that is, heh. 

The watering systems we already have are...mundane to say the least. Actually one of my chores is getting water from our well outside and then waiting hours for my dad to actually boil it all. It just takes up a lot of extra time that could be better spent doing more important things, you know? But with this machine, we won’t even have to worry about wells anymore! The pipes will pump the water straight from our stream and right into a bucket outside. We can use it for baths or cooking or anything! I’m sure dad will appreciate it, along with everyone else!

But back to the storage room. The shelves are littered with all kinds of equipment ranging from some unfinished inventions to farming supplies. Remarkably, not one piece of glassware is anywhere to be found. 

“Which means I definitely have to run over to my lab. Okay, here’s the plan. I can go around the back and take the entrance back there, and _maybe_ dad won’t-”

I hear his voice behind me, and I already know the jig is up.

“Varian? Son? Is that you in there?”

He always manages to find me. Every time!

With a sigh, I clumsily stumble out of the storage room. You know, sometimes I really wish my feet would just go where I tell them to, heh. 

My dad’s out in the fields farming. Like he always is. But he’s giving me that...look. You know, the one you get when you know you’re in trouble? I’m pretty sure all parents have one, at least from what I’ve heard. And my dad’s isn’t _threatening_ per se, but it does tend to make me nervous, heh. I’ve gotten used to it though. _Very_ used to it.

“Yeah, dad, I’m here, heh.”

He walks over in my direction and I know what he’s gonna say next.

“Have you done your chores yet, son?”

There it is. And the answer is, well, no I haven’t. But I can’t just say that. I gotta rephrase it somehow. 

“My chores? Um, well, not yet. _But_ I was actually just heading over to do them! _Definitely_ not avoiding them.”

Saved it!

But my dad doesn’t think so. And his disapproving look forces me to elaborate.

“Heh...okay, maybe I was avoiding them? A little bit- But I’m totally ready to do them now!”

My dad laughs a bit. I’m not sure why but it definitely helps ease the tension. I smile back at him, if not nervously.

“Alright, son. I believe you.”

“Heh. Well, I should probably get started-”

His hand touches my shoulder as he cuts me off.

“Before you go, Varian, I just wanted to make sure you’re being careful.”

I inwardly groan. Not this again. My dad always lectures me about the dangers of my alchemical interests. I’m not even sure how many times we’ve been through it already. But every time I reassure him that I’m being safe! He just never seems to believe me…

“Oh. Well, of course, I’m being careful, dad, heh! It’s just chores! And this new invention I’ve created for cleaning floors is going to _blow your mind._ Figuratively! Heh. N-not literally.” Specification was definitely needed there, heh. My dad isn’t one for figures of speech.

I’m really hoping that’s the end of it, but I see him kneel to get down to my level. This could take awhile…

“Varian, son, I’m just trying to make sure that we don’t have another occurrence like last week.”

Oh, yeah. _That_ “occurrence.”

“I’ll admit, the Bath Bomb was a bit...unstable. But this one is nothing like it, I promise. It doesn’t even have bubbles!”

My “Bath Bomb” was an attempt to get a squeaky clean floor using sodium dodecyl sulfate and dihydrogen monoxide--that’s soap and water, by the way-- but in a more...explosive fashion, heh! Hence the name… “Bath Bomb.” I know, it’s brilliant! 

What I neglected to focus on is the amount of the catalyst I put inside the ball. Apparently, an entire vial is _way_ too much, heh. When I threw the ball, it worked! Too well. The bubbles kept growing, and growing, and growing- until they consumed our entire kitchen. 

No one was hurt, of course. It was actually kinda fun! My dad didn’t think so, though. And it took a while for me to come up with a solution on how to get rid of the bubbles. I still tweak the bomb, though. I know it’ll be useful someday, heh.

“Son, maybe you should stick to the mop this time,” my dad tells me. 

I don’t have to look at his face to tell he’s disappointed. But, hey! I’ll win him over on alchemy someday! I just have to make something that I know he’ll appreciate, and I believe the hot water machines meet that mark! For now, though, I’ve still gotta sell him on the idea of my new cleaning product.

“The mop? Come on, dad. Mops are so old school! Trust me, this new compound I’ve invented is fully tested! _Plus_ it can clean the floors in half the time of standard cleaning supplies.”

My dad doesn’t give me an answer right away. Just does that grunting thing he tends to do when he’s thinking. I patiently wait for his answer, and I find myself rubbing my neck. A nervous habit I have...I should really stop, heh.

After what feels like hours, but in reality it’s only been a couple seconds, he stands up and opens his mouth to say something. Hopefully, that something contains the word “yes!”

“If you’re sure it’s safe this time…”

That doesn’t sound like a no…

“I suppose I can allow it.”

I practically jump for joy! He said _yes!_ I don’t have to go behind his back this time!

“Really? _YES!_ Thank you, dad! You won’t regret it!”

I run off as fast as I can into my lab. Dad was trying to say something else to me, but I didn’t hear him. I’m too excited! 

My hand reaches the door handle and I swing it open, rushing into the lab.

“Let’s see...where did I put them...here!”

A fistful of my cleaning pearls in my hand, I rush over to another shelf to find the final compound.

Now I know what you’re thinking. A thirteen-year-old alchemist owning an _entire_ lab? How is that _possible?_ Well, let me tell you, it was not easy to come by, heh!

Little history lesson for ya, the town of Old Corona used to be, well, _actual_ Corona. Guess they thought slapping “Old” to the front would make some kind of a difference? But I digress. My dad’s the village leader, so we got the oldest house in town! It’s also the biggest, heh. That’s because it actually used to be a _castle,_ believe it or not, back when Corona was in its early stages. Because of this fact, there’s a neat aspect to my house that usually doesn’t pop up in others. It has a _dungeon!_

Or at least I’m _pretty_ sure it’s a dungeon. It’s got barred windows and doors so it would definitely make sense!

Anyway, when I was younger I remember my mom doing experiments down here. I, uh, don’t recall much, I was really young, heh. But I’d say she used the space as a lab. Not as _extravagant_ as mine...but a lot of the equipment I have used to belong to her, heh. I remember my dad using the space too. I think at one point he stored weapons in here? Don’t know why he had so many. Maybe he used to be a welder? I wouldn’t know for sure, though. He’s never told me anything about his past.

But back to the point, heh! As I grew up and my mom...uh...passed on, I began coming down here a lot more often. Conducting my own experiments with the things she left behind, even inventing a trinket or two! My dad started noticing as well and moved out all of his weapons.

 _...Almost_ all of his weapons. He left behind a few swords. But don’t worry! I’ve been responsible with them, heh! 

Once the building technically belonged to me, that’s when I really started developing my craft. I researched everything I could about science and modern alchemy and began on, uh, _riskier_ experiments. All of them were integral to my progress, though. Can’t become a better scientist and alchemist if ya don’t take risks! Even if there’s some consequences attached.

Well, over time, this space became my favorite place in the world. I bought more and more equipment--even built some of it to save money--and this is where I spend most of every day. 

I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but science is my passion! Specifically, alchemy, heh. And though that certainly draws attention from folks, sometimes it’s the…wrong kind of attention. I guess they’re just not ready for advanced technology yet, heh. 

And since most of my village doesn’t understand it, they tend to call it _magic,_ which oh ho, I cannot _stand!_ And if what I do is “magic” that makes me a wizard, apparently! And just for the record, I’m not. I’m pretty sure wizards don’t even exist.

But, uh, that’s why I like this place so much, heh. I can do what I love without being judged…

Just me and my alchemy.

...

“Gosh, speaking of alchemy I’ve gotta get going!”

Frantically searching the shelves again, I find what I’m looking for and make a bee-line for the house. 

“Alright. Just got one shot at this, Varian. Let’s make it count, heh.”

I step into the kitchen and evaluate the space. Looks the same as it always does, but I’m going to make it better!

“Here we go…”

I give the cleaning pearls a shake (for luck, I guess?), and send them rolling down the floor.

“Three...two..”

_POOF!_

“Haha, yes!”

As expected, the pearls emit a glistening blue smoke on the ground. This is actually working!

“Alright...now for the tricky part.”

I pull a small, yellow orb out of my apron pocket, shut my eyes, and throw it to the ground, which immediately erupts in flames. This is all part of the plan...but it doesn’t stop me from repeating, “Please don’t burn the house down, please don’t burn the house down, please don’t-”

My eyes squint open to peek at the fire, and it’s gone as soon as it arrives! Which means…

“It worked! Ha! I’m on _fire_ today! ...Oh _no._ ”

...

Wasn’t expecting it to be literal.

“ _AGH! WOAH-_ UH-”

I quickly try to smother the flames enveloping my apron. I get them all out...but I’m gonna need a new apron.

“Good thing I have a spare! GAH!”

My feet slip out from under me and I find myself on the ground. _Again._ What is this, the third time today?

“Note to self...compound makes floor _incredibly_ slippery...And is very flammable, heh.”

I slowly stand up to my feet and practically slide out of the kitchen. The effect will probably wear off on its own...I’m hoping.

“It still worked though! Definitely still worked! I mean, the floor’s clean, at least. And now for the next order of business.”

Coming out of the kitchen, guess who's conveniently waiting outside the door…

“Dad! Hi! My invention totally worked, just like I said it would-”

He cuts me off and notes my charred apron. Shoot.

“Son? Are you alright? What happened to your apron?”

My hands zip down to cover the spot so that it isn’t _quite_ as noticeable. Even though it does look pretty burned up, heh.

“Ohhh! My apron? Well, see, I got it caught in one of my machines again- it’s no big deal.”

“But, son-”

“Also I wouldn’t go into the kitchen for a couple...hours- okaygottarun,bye!”

I race back to my lab as fast as my legs can take me. My other chores can wait, but I’ve got some hardcore alchemy to get back to. After that partial disaster in the kitchen, I have to redeem myself, and hot running water is just the thing to do it!

An Erlenmeyer flask is sitting perfectly on the edge of my worktable, just waiting to be filled. 

“Can’t exactly activate the machines without something to _start_ the reaction, heh!”

I won’t go through all of the chemicals that I destroyed- _AHEM_ , went through before I came up with what I believe to be the _perfect_ formula...but let’s just say all of my experimentation took out a pretty big chunk of the day, heh.

By the time I get back to the underground tunnels, the sun is already starting to set. I’m kind of surprised that dad let me go the whole day in my lab like that again, but I guess I should be grateful? I mean, it’s giving me a lot more time to work on my project, heh!

“Speaking of project…”  
I hold up my new compound and give it one last stir. Normally I name my solutions, but I’m having trouble thinking of one that will stick. It’ll probably come to me later, heh.

Taking a deep breath, I pull the lever to activate the machine. It shifts around a bit and makes a few mechanical noises, but then I hear the rush of water through the pipes filtering in from our lake. So far so good!

“Heh. Okay, phase one is complete. Now for the serum…”

I quickly go over some calculations in my head, measuring out the amount of serum I’ll need to complete the reaction and heat the water. 

“So that would be...eight ounces? I think that should balance it.”

The serum flows out of the flask and into the beaker, feeling a bit hot to the touch even with my gloves. The thought crosses my mind to adjust my calculations, so I limit the solution to seven ounces instead. It’s not much, but it makes a _huge_ difference in the grand scheme of things.

“Alright, that should do it!”

The solution still seems too concentrated, but by the time I realize that I’m already pouring it into the machine. I do my best to reassure myself, helps the nerves go down.

“Should be fine, right? Of course, right! I’ve run my tests, gone through calculations, probably should have written them down- but hey! I know what I’m doing! This is gonna be a big hit. I know it will.”  
With my nerves on the calmer side, I finish pouring the solution and wipe some sweat from my brow. Alchemy is stressful stuff!

I’m not superstitious, of course, but I figure crossing my fingers won’t do any harm.

The machine springs to life and I watch as the reaction triggers, shielding my face from the small explosion. I wait a second, just to make sure everything’s running smoothly, and step back in satisfaction to admire my handiwork...and maybe do a _small_ victory dance.  
“I’ve done it!”  
As soon as the words leave my mouth, a screw from the machine pops off and lodges into the back wall. Somehow it makes me laugh. It’s one little screw! Not a huge mess like it usually is!

“Ha! Guess I really _screwed up_ this time!”

…

…

“Yeah, I’m really glad no one heard that.”

It’s going to take a while for the entire vat of water to heat up, of course, but the solution should speed up the process.

“Maybe I could add just a little more...Heh. What am I saying? That could be the difference between that screw and an entire explosion. Probably best to keep it to seven...and a half ounces.”

I pour the half in, but can you blame me? I can’t wait an entire 24 hours for this thing to heat up!

 _“Holy Demanitus_ I’ve gotta tell dad!”

I race right back over to the house (gosh, I’ve been doing a lot of running today, heh) and I find dad in the kitchen. He’s not on the ground, so I guess the slippery effect wore off, heh! Things are really looking up!

“Hey, dad! Dad, I-I have something to show you!”

“In a minute son.”

To be honest, I was expecting a little bit more of an _enthusiastic_ response, but my dad isn’t exactly one for enthusiasm either. I mean, he could at least _look up_ from what he’s doing.

“Alright but, um, it’s _kind of_ time-sensitive and I’d really appreciate it if you-”

“Just let me finish making dinner, Varian.”

There we go! The perfect segue!

“Heh, well, you know how it takes _forever_ to heat up water so you can boil the vegetables? Well, I’ve come up with the perfect solution! I just need you...to…”

My sentence is cut short when I sense some tremors in the ground. They’re very faint at first, but then they start to grow. My dad picks up on them too, and steps in front of me. There’s an uncomfortable silence for a moment, and then the house starts _shaking._ Pots and pans are clanking together and I can barely keep my balance. This can’t be because of-

“No...it’s just an earthquake,” I tell myself under my breath. “A natural occurrence that has everything to do with the earth’s core and nothing to do with my-”

At that moment, the glass of our kitchen window shatters. 

The next few minutes go by in a blur. I’m ushered outside by my dad and then the explosions start. It’s getting harder and harder to try and shift the blame. I know it’s my machine...this is my fault.

* * *

So, that’s where we left off. The explosions have stopped now, which is good, but now I have to actually...confess. In front of not only my dad...but my entire village. I can sense they’re all...staring at me.

Maybe I can just stay behind this pipe. Forever. Then I won’t have to tell anyone about the machines or have to deal with everyone’s ridiculing and nicknames.

Or dad’s disappointment…

…

Unfortunately, my dream is short-lived. My dad finds me and checks to see if I’m alright. I’m not. Not _really._ But he doesn’t need to know that.

I brush myself off, cough a few times, and emerge from the pipe. Sure enough, I’ve got an audience. Watching my every move, judging me with their eyes...I wish I could just sink into the ground and disappear. 

But then, I get the question, and I know lying won’t work.

“Son...do you know what happened?”

Guiltily, I shift my eyes down, avoiding his and everyone else’s gaze. I desperately try to keep my tears in. I can’t cry. Not now, not ever. It’s not like it’ll accomplish anything.

I just need to suck it up and take the consequences, and then try to be better. 

“Dad...it was- it was my machine.”

There’s a murmur in the crowd. Whispers and rumors already starting. It’s going to take a lot to make up for this…

When my dad stays silent, I try to give my reasoning. Maybe that will sort of...soften the blow?

“I wanted to help out cause I noticed it took you a long time to boil water, so I figured I could make a machine that would pipe hot running water into the house. I guess it was still unstable…”

After a beat of silence, my dad stands up with a sigh. His face is unreadable, but I know I’m in trouble.

“Dad, I’m so sorry-”

“We’ll discuss this later, Varian.”

My eyes shut tightly, and I feel the judgemental gazes of everyone again. Don’t they know it’s rude to stare? 

A couple whispers meet my ears, and just as expected, they’re already exaggerating the story.

“Quirin should learn to control his boy. If he can cause explosions I wonder what else he can do?”  
“I bet he did this on purpose. He’s always been a menace. This destroyed my farm. I won’t be able to harvest my crops until next season!”

“Out of all the towns I could have gone to I _had_ to end up in the one with a _wizard._ ”

These people are all terrible at whispering. Or maybe they _wanted_ me to hear it. Either way, all of it just makes me want to help out more. So I can prove them all wrong.

“Can I at least help clean up-?” 

My dad opens his mouth to answer, but someone does so for him.

“You’ve already done enough damage, _kid._ ”

His words hit me right in the gut as if I’d been punched in the stomach. Funny the way words can do that. My dad steps in front of me and addresses the man who said it. At least he’s in my corner...kind of.

“That’s enough, Barnaby. I can handle my own son.”

He turns back to me, the same unreadable look on his face. I can’t tell if it’s disappointment, embarrassment, maybe a little anger?

“Varian, go back to the house. I’ll handle the situation.”

“But- dad, I can help-”

“I said no, Varian.”

I struggle hard to keep down my many thoughts. I need to clean up this mess. Show people I’m not a menace. All I wanted to do was help. That’s all I ever wanted to do. But all people see is the negative.

I guess that’s also an easy fix. I’ll flip it around, make ‘em see the positive. I just need to try harder.

“Yes sir…”

…

Walking away from the scene, I feel dejected. But why dwell on that feeling when there’s so much more I can be doing with my time? Plans for my next project are already forming in my head. This one will blow the failed machine out of the water.

Of course, I’ll probably have to work a little slower this time. First to clean out the tunnels, rebuild them, and of course fix that serum because that was a disaster. But practice makes perfect, right? This is just a roadblock in my path to success. Sooner or later, folks will learn to appreciate modern alchemy...and maybe even me, heh. 

Right when I get to my lab, I’m already drawing new plans. This is going to be my greatest invention yet, I can just feel it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading!! I'm so excited to dive into this series with all of you!! Writing in first person is definitely new to me, but so far it's been a blast!  
> \--  
> A special thanks to my beta reader, @justanotherhopelessfanartist (on tumblr)  
> And another thank you to J for the "dungeon" headcanon!


	2. The Critter Problem

Well, it’s been approximately one month and fourteen days since the incident, and in the meantime…

Oh boy have I been _busy!_ Being grounded has given me _so_ much time to work on all kinds of inventions! (And the hot water machines but we can just...not talk about those right now, ha-)

First up, we’ve got this high-tech weapon, technically called The Electrosword. It’s actually a replica of one of Dr. Lauvalet’s weapons from “ _Flynnigan Again_ !” Technically he’s a bad guy, but he’s _also_ a scientist, and being an avid fan of the books...I had to make _something_ from them, heh! The base of the weapon is the handle of one of my dad’s old swords. I paired it with a steel shaft and a conductor cable, and _voila!_ Just like the one in the books!

The machine under the tarp over there isn’t quite finished, but when it is I’m hoping it’ll help me find out what’s going on with my hair. It’s nothing major, but I’ve had this sort of...teal-ish stripe in my hair that vastly differs from the rest of it. And it’s been there ever since I was born. I’m sure it’s not a big deal or anything, but I’m extremely curious. I’ve asked my dad and even he doesn’t know what it could be. Guess it’s just a mystery I’ll have to solve!

Right now, though I’m getting prepared to go back into town! It’s been a month since I’ve been actually able to go anywhere cause you know, grounded, heh. 

Technically, my punishment ended two weeks ago, but I haven’t had any reason to go out until today. While doing some experiments this morning I noticed that all of my glassware has been...demolished. But luckily I’ve saved up enough money to buy some more from the glassware shop across town. Pretty sure I’m their best customer, heh! And maybe while I’m out I can help with the rebuilding process?

I’m pretty sure that’s the biggest reason my dad grounded me: he doesn’t want me to “make things worse.” Don’t get me wrong, he didn’t explicitly say that, I just kinda knew. But, I mean, it’s _my_ mess- I think I should be the one to clean it up or at least _help,_ you know? If I’m going to get people to trust me I might as well fix what I...exploded.

I guess we’ll see.

…

I step outside of my lab with my bag slung across my shoulders, waiting to be filled with new supplies. The weather’s actually pretty nice today, that’s a plus. 

“Dad! I’m headed out now!” I shout to him. He probably can’t hear me since he’s out farming again, but technically he can’t say I didn’t tell him? Heh!

Walking into town feels kind of...different. You know, normally I’ll get a few stares and maybe a couple of whispers here and there, but today it’s just... _silent._ It’s kind of creeping me out if I’m honest. Maybe it would be a little less unsettling if everyone wasn’t staring at me. Really makes a guy uncomfortable. 

Maybe I should go up and talk to someone? Apologize for what happened?

As I get further into the town square, I finally start to hear some of the gossip circulating. At least there’s finally some normalcy. 

“There’s that wizard kid again. What do you think he’s up to?”

“Dark magic? Planning to blow up the village again? I’m thinking of moving to the mainland just because of all the trouble he’s caused.”

That was one conversation I managed to hear, and as always they quieted down when I walked past, even backed up a little. It’s nothing new. In fact, it’s been this way since I took an interest in alchemy. The adults whisper behind my back, and the kids my age-

“ _HA!_ Look! It’s the screw-up! Finally emerged from your lair _oh, great wizard?_ ”

 _Henry._ We used to be friends a while back, but we had a falling out. I invented an acid that...ruined his left eye when we were younger. He actually wears an eyepatch because of it. I feel awful about what happened, and I’ve tried apologizing but he just won’t forgive me. And as a result, he’s joined right in with the crowd. 

“Oh, uh, hey Henry. I’m just buying some new equipment. And actually, I’m an-”

“ _Alchemist._ I know, _Varian._ You’ve only said it a thousand times already. Don’t know what that even is though. Maybe you _should_ stick with Wizard.”

This guy...this guy really gets on my nerves. Especially since he _does_ know what an alchemist is. I specifically told him! Might as well explain again, though, for good measure.

“Oh- well it’s a form of science dealing with transforming-”

“I’m gonna stop you right there because _I don’t care_ \- Just try not to blow up the town anymore. My dad’s making me help rebuild our house.”

His _house?_ It stretched all the way- oh _no._

“Uh, wow. I-I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah, you better be. You know, you’ve done a lot of things, Varian.”

He points to the eyepatch- _of course,_ he does.

“For someone trying to help, you sure know how to make things _worse._ ”

I visibly flinch, and I think it makes him laugh. It’s funny how people can change so...drastically. I mean, we used to be so close. He was my only friend- and now he’s just my biggest bully. Now I remember why I don’t go to town much.

“I’ll see you later, Henry.”

Before he can say anything else, I run off the other way. I hate him. I know that’s probably a bit much but I really do. I don’t think he’s said one nice thing to me in _three years._

Why think about that right now, though? I’ve still got the whole day ahead of me, and I’ve got glassware to buy! After that, I can just stay in my lab...probably forever-

“‘Ey! You get back here with that, _pest!_ ”

Ugh, what did I do now? I didn’t steal anything- at least not last time I checked. 

...Or it’s possible that they aren’t talking about me at all.

The voice sounds gruff and extremely angry. It’s coming from the blacksmith’s shop across the way.

“Maybe he’s getting robbed?”

I find myself walking closer to the commotion. The reason being...if he is getting robbed there’s a _slight_ chance it could be Flynn Rider-

I know, it’s kind of silly to think he’d come to a town as small as Old Corona, but he was at the capital just a couple months ago! It could happen!

“Pesky raccoon. This is the last time you’ll mess with my orchard!”

Okay so...not Flynn Rider. I still want to find out what’s going on though.

Picking up my pace, I run over to the back of the shop where the yelling is coming from...and freeze when I see what’s going on.

Barnaby, the blacksmith, is cornering a small raccoon with a single apple in its mouth. That wouldn’t be such a big deal if he wasn’t holding up a _sword-_

“He’s gonna kill it-“

Without thinking it through, I run into the center between Barnaby and the critter and protectively throw my arms out in front of it.

“ _Hey...hey, HEY! Stop!_ ”

I can’t believe I just did that. I’m totally out of breath from that move, but I keep going.

“Look, I know you’re mad that he’s taking your apples, but it’s just one! You-you don’t have to _kill_ him!”

I expect the raccoon to scurry off, but it just stays there, cowering. I feel kinda bad for the little guy.

...But Barnaby clearly does not.

_“YOU!”_

He gets a better look at me and immediately glowers. I should start wearing a mask or something.

“Oh...you’re _Quirin’s_ boy! The _wizard_.”

I swear, how many times am I going to have to correct people today?

“Heh, _alchemist_ actually, sir. But yes, I am Quirin’s son-“

“What do you think yer doin’ meddlin’ in my business? That critter has been stealin’ food from me for weeks!”

He looks me over again, narrowing his eyes.

“He’s almost as bothersome as _you_.”

I look over my shoulder at the critter, who’s starting to inch closer to me. I notice he has...green eyes? That’s peculiar.

“Hey! Look at me when I’m talking to you, boy. Haven’t ya ever learned to _respect_ your elders?”

Haven’t _you_ ever learned to respect people _in general?_

But I don’t say that. No need to infuriate the guy more than I already have. 

“Yes, sir. Sorry, Mr. Barnaby.”

I step out of the way, keeping a close eye on his sword. Behind me, I gesture for the raccoon to run, but he decides to wrap himself around my leg instead.

“Now, leave me to my business, _wizard._ I want this raccoon _gone._ ”

The little guy seems to latch on tighter as if he actually understands what Barnaby is saying. He already seems incredibly intelligent...and also kind of adorable?

“Mr. Barnaby, if I may, there are so many simpler and less violent ways to get rid of...unwanted guests, heh. There are a variety of traps-”

“Traps won’t do me no good. They all break too easy or the critter escapes.”

He does have a point. Most of the traps my dad use never work-

Oh….OH! THAT’S _PERFECT!_

“Mr. Barnaby, sir, what if…I-I was able to _make_ you a trap?”

He stays silent for a second, so I figure it won’t hurt if I add, “it won’t explode, I promise!”

Barnaby looks from me to the raccoon and starts to chuckle which turns into a cold and cynical laugh. He’s almost as bad as Henry.

“Oh _sure,_ kid. You do that. Then _you_ can kill them instead! _Haha!_ ”

Heh, geez, that’s harsh. But you know what? I’m taking it as a yes!

“Haha...alright, sir. Have a good day.”

He’s still laughing as I walk away, but I try to ignore it. Because, dangit, I _still_ need to get glassware! That’s the whole reason I came here yet I found myself having a less than polite conversation with Henry _and_ rescuing a raccoon.

I look around as I’m walking away. I think the little guy finally ran off. Hopefully, he won’t get into someone else’s yard.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The quest for new equipment was a success! I got all kinds of flasks and beakers, along with some special spherical orbs that I believe will be a perfect vessel for my next project!

Luckily, I didn’t run into anyone on the way home, though I did get the suspicion I was being followed. It was probably just nerves...I hope.

But all worries aside, I’ve gotta start on this new compound!

“Here’s the plan, it will be a liquid compound inside one of these circular vessels. When thrown, it will emit a sticky substance that will trap any animal in place! I can rig it up with a booby trap and it’s foolproof! Haha!”

I pull up my gloves a bit higher on my arms and procure a small vial of translucent goo.

Technically, I’ve used this compound once before...but it was a complete disaster. It was supposed to supply certain nutrients to crops in an effort to make them grow faster, heh. I thought it was pretty effective until it started manifesting into this unstoppable slime that consumed practically all of our crops that season. It took more than a few days to clean up. I actually had to invent an entirely new compound to get rid of it. My dad was...less than happy. He made me dispose of the remaining solution just in case it happened again. But...I actually didn’t get rid of all of it. I was just waiting for a moment to repurpose the compound because I knew it would be useful for something, and this is the perfect opportunity!

“Alright, in order to get it contained, I’ll need to neutralize it with...something.”

I lower my goggles and lay out all of my chemicals. This could get messy.

“Trial and error it is!”

Usually, this process takes a few hours at the most. My first attempts are almost never correct which tends to be frustrating, but I always get it right in the end...at least 45% of the time.

Mixing together my first solution, I filter it into my distillation apparatus. I know it looks a little...haphazardly put together, heh, but it gets the job done! 

You know what would really bump up its efficiency though? A copper-plated alembic! I’ve wanted one for ages, but I’m pretty sure they’re only sold in Neserdnia, and there’s no way I’m going there any time soon! I’ve actually never left Corona. I mean, I’ve traveled to the capital for various events and celebrations, but I haven’t actually left the kingdom. I think my dad has though. Actually, if I’m not mistaken, he grew up in a completely different kingdom! Not sure which one but-

… 

At that moment I realized I was definitely not focusing on my experiment. My extremely _unstable_ experiment.

“Uh oh-”

_BOOM!_

“Well...attempt one was a bust, heh.”

I set the beaker aside and wipe off my goggles which are now covered in a sticky blue substance. _Much_ too concentrated for my taste.

“Onto the next one!”

… 

And the next...and the next...and the next...and-

Let’s just say after sixty-three attempts and more than a few explosions, I’ve finally finished the compound! I’ve tried it on a couple of nick-nacks in my lab, but there’s no real way to tell if it’s worked.

“So...guess we wait for company?”

I set up my newly developed goo bomb with a complex booby trap mechanism, and it doesn’t take long for something to trip the wire.

“Huh, already?”

Looks like another raccoon. Geez, there’s so many of these today! Under closer examination, however-

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

It’s the same raccoon from before. The same exact one! I can tell by the eyes. What are the chances of that?

“You need to stop getting yourself into trouble little guy, heh.”

He doesn’t say anything, obviously. He’s a raccoon after all, but he looks incredibly confused. And for good reason too; my trap worked perfectly! 

He looks up at me and makes a small noise. I believe it’s called chittering? And that’s when I realize, well, I don’t have anything to get him _out_ of the trap.

He moves his feet up a bit, struggling to get free, but wouldn’t you know it the trap actually holds!

“Ha! Not going anywhere today, bud!”

He seems to glare at me and struggles more in the goo. And that’s when I realize I don’t actually have a reversal yet…

“Heh, uh, this is awkward. It’s just come to my attention that A. I’m talking to a raccoon, and B. I don’t actually have any way to free you?”

The little intruder actually sticks his tongue out at me! Rude! I mean, intelligent, but still rude!

“Okay, okay I’m sorry. It just slipped my mind!”

I’m not really sure how long it will take to formulate an antidote, and I feel kinda bad that he’s just stuck here.  
“Do you...want something to eat?”

I don’t know why I keep talking to this raccoon like he can understand me. But it kind of seems like he can? One thing’s for sure, though, there’s no way he’s going to turn down food.

“I’ll be right back. Stay here. N-not that you really have a choice, heh!”

I walk out to our orchard and pick a few shiny, red apples. Based on the evidence back at the blacksmith’s house, I’m pretty sure those are his favorite.

I give the apples to my visitor, and he seems pretty grateful. Maybe _too_ grateful. He scarfs them down so fast it was like a ”blink and you miss it” moment!

“Hey, hey, slow down! That was supposed to tie you over for the next couple of hours!”

The little rascal only shrugs- and then has the audacity to throw the apple cores at me!

“ _HEY-_ “

And then you know what he does? _You know what he does?_ HE LAUGHS AT ME! Last time I checked, raccoons _don’t do that!_

“Oh, ho. You think it’s _soooo_ funny, don’t you? Maybe I should just let you stay here, then!”

He throws another apple core at me, right in the face! _How_ does he have such good aim?

“Gah! Will you stop it? I’m starting to see why people don’t really want you around!”

...Maybe that was too harsh. Even for a raccoon. He looks...sad. And I know that feeling...really well.

“ _Dangit, Varian._ Hey, wait, I-I’m sorry, heh. I’ll get you out of there okay?”

I kneel down to his level and pet his little head. He feels so _soft._

He looks up at me sheepishly. Or...raccoon-ishly? Heh, that’s definitely not a word.

“Alright! Where to start…”

As I pace around the room, I see his eyes watching me. It’s sort of endearing? Like I’ve said before, I normally don’t work in front of people. Not because I don’t _want_ to, but um, I never thought I’d have an audience...if not a rather furry one, heh!

…

“So, I, uh, tend to talk to myself when I perform experiments. You don’t mind, right?”

The critter makes his little chittering noise again. I should probably do some research into what that means.

“The compound has sort of a glossy texture, so maybe a powdered solid would neutralize it?”

I grab my mortar and pestle tools and get to work on the antidote. Turns out, making small talk to a raccoon is a lot easier than I expected, heh!

“This might take a little bit. But, uh, I don’t have anywhere to be, really. Do you?”

_Chitter, chitter!_

“Heh, yeah. I thought as much. Guess your only destination would be ‘The Quest to Find the Best Apple!’”

…

“Tough crowd, heh. You know, I always thought it was terrible, the way they treat critters around here.”

I add some more ingredients to my antidote until it begins to shift into a soft yellow color. Grinding it into powder will be tedious, but hopefully, worth it.

“I mean, so you stole an apple or two. So what? Those grow back! I really don’t think you deserve to be killed for an act like that.”

My eyes drift over to a curtain in the corner of my room. I knew this story reminded me of something. I put down my experiment for the time being, and grab the rope. For some reason, I find myself lowering my voice. I’m gonna chalk it up to effect, heh.

“Okay, so, I’ve never actually shown this to anyone before, heh. But I’ve been following this-erm, thief, for quite some time. But he’s not just a thief. He’s actually a hero in disguise!”

I pull on the rope and the curtain swings open, revealing my second-biggest passion: The Flynn Rider books!

“Ta daaa! _Flynn Rider!”_

The raccoon cocks his head like he’s confused, obviously opening up the door for me to elaborate! How considerate of him!

“Oh, you _haven’t_ heard of Flynnigan Rider?”

I jump on top of one of my lab tables and _pray_ it doesn’t fall over.

“A swashbuckling rogue who uses his charm and wits for the good of the people! He has riches and fame, but he chooses to use them on the poor and unfortunate! Sort of like Robin Hood...but _better!”_

The table wobbles a bit, but I steady myself before I completely fall over... and then jump off cause I don’t want to risk it.

“I used to think the books were just fiction, but then, _oh_ but then…”

I run back over to the shrine- AHEM- _display,_ to showcase my collection of posters.

“I found _these_ gems! All over town! The nose was throwing me off, so I altered it to how I thought he might look in the books. I believe it was a much-needed upgrade, heh! And I know, I _know_ he’s wanted, and it’s technically not right to take wanted posters...but there’s a lot of ‘em! I’m sure they won’t miss two...or three...or...seven...teen.”

Did that raccoon just roll his eyes at me?

“I’ve actually been tracking Mr. Rider, and most recently he stole the lost princess’ crown right in front of the guards’ faces! I mean, I guess it’s not the most _moral_ thing to do, but I’m sure it was for a good reason. And it’s quite possible that he’s connected with her highness’s return, but that’s just a theory-”

My guest chitters at me again and points his head in the direction of the antidote. His intellect is astounding for a raccoon!

“Oh! Heh, I was so busy talking I totally forgot. Thanks!”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a busy hour of grinding the powder, I finally get it down to the consistency I need!

“Okay! Looks like we’re in business! Just need to find a container...oh! I got it!”

The door to my lab swings open and I realize how late it’s gotten. It’s completely dark outside. Guess I missed dinner. 

“Time flies when you’re having fun.”

The door to the kitchen is unlocked, so I sneak in, looking around in the cupboards for a salt shaker.

“There has to be one around here somewhere…”

Boosting myself up on the counter, I search some of the top shelves. I’m uh, not tall enough to reach them by myself yet. But I’ll grow! 

“Ah! Here we are.”

I reach back into the cabinet and find a half-full salt shaker. Perfect!

Back at my lab, I find my little visitor sound asleep.

“Aw. You must have been pretty tired, huh?”

I replace the salt with the neutralizer and sprinkle some on the goo. The bubbling sound wakes up the raccoon and he suddenly finds out that he’s free! It _worked!_

“Heh, sorry that took so long, little guy.”

I pet him one more time on the head as a sort of “goodbye.” He may be a wild animal, but he was actually sufficient company.

“Well, I’ll see you around, bud. Try not to get into any apple orchards or anything, heh.”

Instead of darting out, the raccoon nuzzles against my hand. I thought he’d _want_ to get out of here. 

“Okay, heh. You can, uh, go now.”

Why isn’t he leaving?

Oh, wait- I forgot to open the door! That explains it!

My door makes a small creak as I push it open, drawing the critter’s attention.

“ _Now_ you can go, heh. Sorry about that.”

He looks to me and then to the door, gives a small nod, and _finally_ scurries out. 

“Oh, bye!”

Well, that was eventful. I can’t believe my compound worked! This is going to be such a big help to the town, I just know it!  
“Tomorrow maybe I can ask dad if I can set up some traps around the perimeter! _Or_! I could perform a demonstration in town square!”

…

And...I’m talking to myself again. I should be used to it by now I suppose, heh. I guess it was nice to know that someone was listening, even if he didn’t happen to be human.

Geez, it’s late. Maybe I should get to bed…

But I’m not all that tired. I’m too excited! 

“Flynn Rider books it is, then!”

Alright, let’s see...I haven’t touched “Lost Treasure of Scotia” in a while. That’s probably due for a reread. 

I open the book and I can’t help but smile. Scientifically, that “feeling” is serotonin. A chemical in your brain that enables happiness, along with some other primary functions. For me, opening a Flynn book is just a rush of nostalgia, and honestly, a comfort. And that’s something I need, especially after a day like this… 

“Okay, Chapter one…Flynnigan is-”

…

_FLASH_

My book drops to the ground and my head whips around to see a jolt of blue light zooming through the sky. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before! 

“Woah…”

I dart out of my lab as fast as I can, but it’s long gone before I can even process what happened.

“What was _that?"_


	3. Another Day in the Life

“...It’s MORNING?! Already?!”

The sun shining out the window confirms that statement. I’ve legitimately been up  _ all night  _ researching this thing. 

“And I still have  _ no clue _ what that was.”

I’ve collected a variety of astrology books throughout the years. Almost as many as my Flynn books. Pretty sure I skimmed every single one of these bad boys last night, but there was nothing that resembled an odd blue flash in the sky. The closest I got was the Aurora Borealis, but there are multiple issues with that theory. 

  1. They’re normally found in the arctic and Corona isn’t even close.
  2. The color is supposed to vary due to the ionization of the atmospheric constituents, but this was only _one_ color, not multiple.
  3. They’re supposed to last for long periods of time. This was just a simple flash- then it was gone.



All of these points were from my notebook. I expected to get farther than that and  _ possibly  _ fill up the rest, but I never got past those three. It may be an astronomical phenomenon like the world has never seen before, which would be  _ awesome- _

But the only way to find that out is more proof. And, well...I don’t have much. Plus, I’m not as experienced in astronomy as I am alchemy, so it’s possible there’s something I’m missing? Might have to skim my book some more. But in the meantime...there’s a ton of other projects I need to work on! Most likely the hot water machines along with the raccoon traps-

“Oh, the raccoon traps!”

I’m so excited that the chair kinda...flips me out of it- Starting the day out with a  _ bang _ , that’s for sure!

I pick myself up and race over to the bag with the traps. They’re all still intact!

“Phew. Sometimes they tend to explode randomly- that would not be good, heh.”

The kitchen is open so I snag an apple off the counter and eat it at the table, still reading one of my astrology books. Multitasking! 

I don’t know if he would care or not, but I really want to show dad the traps. Who knows? He might actually use them! Maybe promote them to the village?

Okay, that one...probably not- but hey! Doesn’t hurt to dream, right?

* * *

It’s taking quite a while, so I decide to make some breakfast! Maybe sweeten the deal for the traps, eh?

We don’t have any eggs so I have to go out back to the chickens-

The chickens who don’t like me.

Oh boy.

_ Knock...knock… _

I carefully open the door to the pitch-black coop. It already looks menacing- other than all of the clucking noises.

Listen, I know they’re just chickens- but we have some uh, issues with each other. 

The door swings wider, letting some light in. At least now I can see them before they peck my eyes out.

“Heh...hey girls…”

The clucking almost immediately stops, as the hens raise their back feathers--something they do when they’re threatened. Some of them are even giving me death stares! How can a chicken give a  _ death stare?! _

“Haha...I, uhm, I know you’re mad at me for what happened with the Egg Producer 3000…”

It was an invention that was supposed to speed up the process of egg-laying. Thinking back, it probably  _ isn’t  _ the best idea to speed up a natural occurrence...like that. Honestly, I don’t even know  _ why _ I did it. I guess I didn’t think anything bad would happen? And, well, I was wrong.

It went awry and exploded...along with one of the chickens. That was- _ yeesh _ . I feel...really bad about it. I mean, I guess my dad was going to kill it eventually anyway, but that just wasn’t right.  _ At all. _

And after that invention, I vowed never to experiment with animals again.

But, I can’t exactly change the past, though I’d love to try, and now we have a coop of traumatized hens on our hands. I didn’t know birds could hold grudges- but here we are.

I look over at one particular chicken who looks like she’s about to jump at me at any second.  _ Henrietta. _ Or Henny for short. It’s not that clever- but we can’t have chickens and just  _ not _ name them, you know?

But Henny, well she- she has a pretty good reason to be mad since I accidentally  _ permanently _ dyed her feathers pink...and blue...and green. 

This was before the other incident by the way.

I was testing out some hair dye and didn’t want to use my own hair- so I decided on feathers instead. Probably should have just plucked a few and then tested out the dye but...it’s too late now. Luckily the dye is completely non-toxic. I made sure of it. But it didn’t prevent the vibrant colors...

I walk down the rows, nodding politely to the hens and while looking for eggs.

“Hello, Bertha...you look...nice today, heh.”

I figure it’s better to stay on their good side. If they can hold a grudge, maybe they can also take compliments?

Bertha ruffles her feathers and does everything in her power to prevent me from her nest. It’s not a big deal since she doesn’t have any eggs, but still.  _ Rude. _

After a few more minutes of dealing with some increasingly stubborn chickens, I find out almost none of the roosts have eggs... Except for the one I’ve been avoiding.

“ _ Oh please no- _ ”

Henrietta stares me down when I approach her roost. Her multicolored feathers all raised, prepping for an attack. Underneath her, I spot two brown eggs. This chicken is  _ challenging _ me.

“Alright, Henny. You know I need those eggs.”

Henny just keeps glaring at me when I walk forward, not budging one bit.

I slowly move my hand out, and she immediately goes to peck it.

“Hey! Look, I need to make breakfast for dad and me. I can’t do that without eggs.”

She doesn’t care. Why would she? She’s a chicken! And a  _ jerk! _

“Let’s just...be civil about this…”

I reach my hand in again, almost touching the eggs--and then I see my life flash before my eyes--

_ “AH!” _

She jumps onto my chest, knocking me to the ground, and starts pecking at my face! 

“Hey, HEY! EASY- OUCH!”

I cross my arms in front of my face to deflect her pecking, but she keeps going for it, moving to my hair. She is  _ unrelenting! _

“OWWW! OW  _ OW- _ ”

I try to move over to the roost to grab the eggs, but she’s too fast and bites my hand.

“AGH!”

Before she can try again, I push her off of me and jump to my feet, grabbing the eggs from the roost as gently as I can without cracking them--but getting mauled by a chicken is a much bigger concern.

I slip the eggs in my pocket, dodging Henny the whole time, and run out the coop, the other chickens following along to chase me.

“THIS WAS A VERY BAD IDEA- _ AGH! _ ”

One of them bites my foot as I run out, but I finally get out the door and shut it as tight as it can go, leaning up against it to catch my breath.

“That...was...terrifying.”

* * *

Through  _ all _ of that...the eggs in my pocket have still stayed intact. How? I have  _ no _ idea. Let’s just call it sheer determination. 

Dad is already in the kitchen when I get back, and I could swear he  _ almost _ laughs when I walk through the door.

“Varian? What happened-”

I blow a multicolored feather out of my mouth and stare directly at him.

_ “Chickens.” _

He stifles some laughter, but I can’t help laughing too. I must look  _ ridiculous _ after all that. I’ll need to find a mirror.

“Didn’t have any luck with the eggs, huh, son?”

“Heh,  _ actually _ …”

I take out the two eggs I got and hold them up proudly.

“Henny was stubborn, but I finally-”

I feel my foot cave from under me-

Oh no- OH NOOOO-

I can’t drop these eggs- I went through “ _ you know what” _ to actually get them!

Despite my inward pleading, one of them slips out of my fingers and falls to the floor, followed by the other one...and me.

_ WHY? _

I sit there for a second, “mourning” my loss.

“Ha...ha. I’ll, uh...I’ll go clean that up.”

* * *

I’m such an idiot. How could I let that happen?! I was just holding them and--ugh.

Well, so much for breakfast, I guess. There’s still a chance to get him to approve the critter traps, though!

I finish cleaning the floor, and pick some more feathers out of my hair, brushing myself off for my “presentation.”

“So, dad, uh...sorry about the eggs first off.”

“It’s fine Varian. We can always get more.”

Hah- not while _ Henny’s  _ around, we can’t.

“Right! Right, yeah. Um, I actually wanted to talk to you about a new invention-?”

Dad sighs and glances over at me. At least I caught his attention, I guess?

“I know they’ve been kinda crazy in the past, but this one works pretty well!”

I bring out one of the fuschia-colored goo bombs to show him.

“You know how we have a lot of unwanted guests breaking in and stealing food? Well,  _ this _ will trap ‘em where they stand  _ without _ having to-er- kill them, heh.”

Dad looks briefly at the trap and sighs again. It’s probably just a tired sigh…

“As long as it doesn’t harm anyone Varian...I’m fine with it.”

_ YEEEESSSS!  _ He seems pretty enthusiastic about this one too! At least for him.

“Oh!  _ Great! _ Haha! There won’t be a  _ single _ critter who gets past these babies! And once I show them to everyone else, I-”

“Son...maybe this one should just stay here.”

…

“Oh...o-okay. That makes sense…”

He probably has good intentions...just not a lot of faith in me. But that’s okay! After he sees how well the traps work, I know I’ll change his mind!

“Well, I should probably set these up--”

Gah! Almost forgot-- I wanted to ask him if he saw the flash!

“Wait, sorry, dad? One more thing. Last night I saw this...this blue flash? That’s the only way I can really describe it. It lit up the sky for approximately two seconds and then just...vanished. It was the weirdest thing- did you see it?”

Dad’s face is unreadable, but he takes a few seconds to answer the question.

“No, I don’t believe I did.”

He didn’t? That doesn’t seem right.

“Really? Cause it was pretty hard to miss. I mean, I’m pretty sure it was visible on all sides of the house.”

Dad fiddles with a glove on one of his hands for some reason. It’s always the left hand too. It’s a bit strange…

“I suppose I just missed it.”

Well...okay…?

As I start to head out the door, he adds a follow-up.

“You said you saw this last night, son?”

I turn back with a nod. “Yeah, right around midnight I think.”

Why does he want to know? Unless-

“Do you know what it is, dad?”

He pauses and moves his hands to his sides, looking back at me.

“Son...there are some things that we just don’t have answers to. It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Well, that’s even  _ more  _ suspicious! What is he talking about?

“But...what  _ is _ it?”

“ _ Nothing, _ Varian. I’m sure it was nothing.”

I want to push more, but he’s using that tone that usually means the conversation is over. I don’t think I’ll get anywhere with this one.

I give him another nod and head out the door with my equipment.

“Yeah...it’s  _ definitely  _ something. And I’m going to get to the bottom of it!”

* * *

The day passes in almost a blink, and before I know it, it’s sunset again. I’ve been setting up these traps  _ all day _ , making sure they’re in perfect working order! I’ve run into quite a few problems along the way regarding moving the liquid into the balls, but I’ve come up with some resourceful solutions if I do say so myself!

The one in my lab is the most elaborate...because I felt like it, heh! It’s got a tripwire, which triggers bellows to push a small makeshift cart on wheels attached with a match and a sail for propulsion. Directly above it is a sheet of sandpaper to light the match, and then the cart stops directly under a beaker of my liquid to heat it up. When the liquid is heated to precisely 101.1 degrees celsius, it filters through a tube which launches a bomb straight onto the target! 

If they stay for the whole thing. I mean, I did, and I think it’s worth it for the show!

For the rest of the traps, I went for a simpler route. They’ve still got tripwires and bellows, but they’re much more efficient time-wise and operate through a spring-loaded system! I’m pretty proud of ‘em, and I bet once the rest of the town sees my genius, they’ll hop right on board the Modern Alchemy bandwagon!

“Alright last one, let’s make it count.”

I set up my supplies at the last fence post surrounding the house and start assembling the mechanism. These are usually a snap to set up, but testing them is the hard part. Gotta make sure the angle is  _ just- _

“Whatcha doing?”

_ “AAH!” _

Geez, I thought I was alone!

“Oh! Oh, sorry I didn’t mean t-”

As I turn around (and pick up all of the equipment that I just dropped) I spot... _ a girl my age?  _

She giggles, but it’s not mean or cold like I usually hear.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you!”

Alright, Varian. A girl is talking to you. Be  _ COOL. _

“Startle me? Psh, nah. My equipment already had a tendency to jump out of my hands.”

_ Nailed it! _

She laughs at my joke, which I expected, but then she asks something I wasn’t really prepared for.

“Annnnd...the scream?”

My face goes blank for a second--have to think of  _ something- _

“Ummm...exotic bird call?”

The girl laughs a little more and I join in, even though I can feel my face blushing with embarrassment. 

She’s actually really nice. This is…new.

“Ha! Nice save.”

She boldly sticks out her hand for me to shake which was another surprising gesture.

“I’m Cindy, by the way. I actually just moved here.”

That would explain it!

“Oh! You just moved- well...welcome to Old Corona!”

I shake her hand and enthusiastically introduce myself. It’s a chance to make a good first impression, you know? At least before she inevitably hears the rumors.

“Varian Quirison, at your service!”

“Wow, that’s quite the name,” she says with another giggle. “Sounds familiar too. You don’t happen to be royalty or anything, right?”

She thinks I’m-? Ha! She’s good.

“Oh, haha! No, no, just your friendly neighborhood alchemist, heh!”

She cocks her head to the side and looks at me quizzically.

“Alchemist? What’s that?”

Well, would you look at that! A  _ perfect _ segue.  _ Wonder _ how that got there!

“Well, I’m glad you asked! It's the official title for the science I work with! Revolves around foundational chemical experiments, or transforming one chemical to another! Older alchemy dealt with lead into gold, transmutation and all that jazz, but modern alchemy deals more with chemical reactions which I’ve found come with many merits!”

And also some setbacks—but come on, I’m trying to  _ sell _ it!

Cindy looks kinda confused for a second—can’t blame her, I went pretty fast with that explanation— but silver lining, she let me finish my entire spiel!

“Oh! Okay! That’s um, interesting!” She replies after a second. I’m guessing she didn’t understand one bit of what I said, hardly anyone does, but at least she was nice about it.

She picks up one of the springs off the ground and toys with it before handing it back to me.

“So...is that what you’re doing now? Alchemy?”

I take the spring and push it down into the mechanism, waiting for a faint “click!”

“Hey, look who’s catching on! Yeah, I’m just setting up the last one of my booby traps. I invented these because of the excess of animals we have around here, always breaking in, stealing food- these are a safe way to restrain them and prevent them from intruding!”

I give the spring a flick to ensure that it’s secure in there, and compress it down fully. Apparently, it had other plans. It quickly shoots back up again— and jumps out of my hands.

“Woah! Gah, oh come on.”

Cindy catches it gracefully, flicking the spring herself with a giggle. She’s awfully bubbly, this one.

“Do you need any help?”

…

I’m sorry _...WHAT- _

“You...you want to  _ help _ \- I mean uh... _ of course, _ you do! Who  _ wouldn’t  _ want to assist in the miracle of modern alchemy?”

Wow, I guess she really  _ is _ new here!

“Haha, okay!” She exclaims, pushing down the spring. “It looks kinda fun!”

_ Finally! _ Someone who appreciates my work!

“ _ Duh! _ It’s a blast! Here, I’ll show you where this goes.”

She holds the mechanism to the post while I hammer it in. The silence is kind of awkward, so I try to kick things off again.

“So, you said you moved here, right? Where from?”

Cindy smiles and twirls a bit of her bright red hair.

“Oh! Corona!”

“Heh, you...mean the island? Technically we’re, uh, we’re still  _ in  _ Corona.”

I guess it makes sense that she didn’t realize. Old Corona isn’t exactly well-known.

She points her arm in the wrong direction to demonstrate what she was talking about, but I get what she’s aiming for.

“Oh, yep! Wayyyy over there!”

“Heh, cool! I’ve heard the capital is pretty nice. I’ve only been there a few times though. Technically we were supposed to go there today for the Princess’s Coronation but-”

Cindy’s face practically lights up with excitement. She must be a fan of the princess! (And I mean who wouldn’t be, right? From what I hear she’s pretty cool!)

“Oh! I just came back from the coronation today! It was  _ incredible.  _ The princess was so beautiful! And her fighting skills were-”

“Woah, woah, woah, back up-  _ fighting skills _ ?”

I wonder what went down at that coronation. Kinda bummed I missed it-

“YES!” Cindy exclaims. “There was this lady who was trying to take over Corona, but Princess Rapunzel and her friends swooped in and stopped them! And the best part? The princess’s hair is back!”

Anyone who’s lived in Corona long enough knows the story of her highness’s “magic” hair. I really don’t think it’s actually magic, but rumors tend to exaggerate anyway. Her hair was supposedly extremely long and golden, with some kind of power to heal? When she returned after eighteen years of being stuck in a tower, her hair was a lot shorter and also turned brown? So I’m not sure what that’s about- but if Cindy means that the _ long _ hair is back-

“It...it’s  _ back? _ But- how? Last I checked, approximately seventy feet of hair should take  _ much _ longer than six months to grow back!”

Cindy lowers her voice and looks around.

“I don’t know...but I think I have an idea.”

She gestures for me to sit with her on the grass, even though we were in the  _ middle of my project- _

It’s  _ fine… _

She looks around again to see if anyone’s watching. Normally people stay away from my house so, you know, I think we’re good here, hah!

“I haven’t heard much about Old Corona since I moved here, except for one thing…”

She lowers her voice even more- probably just to sound mysterious. 

“ _ The wizard _ .”

Oh- Oh you’ve got to be kidding. 

“Ah...the  _ wizard- _ right-”

She turns to me with a look of intrigue- uh oh.

“Do you know him?”

Better than you think- 

“Do I...know him? I-I know  _ of _ him. I mean, who doesn’t, right?”

Look, I know I could just come clean and tell her it’s me- but I don’t have the best...reputation. Might be smart to see what she actually knows before I give myself away.

Cindy nods a couple times and goes on.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure almost everyone knows about him! Especially after that explosion! Did you hear about that?” 

Haha- Oh...boy.

“Well, uh, yeah. But I think people tend to hype it up too much, you know? I mean, maybe he had good intentions?”

She cocks her head a bit, considering it, but seems to brush the thought away.

“I mean...maybe. But I heard the explosion affected the entire  _ town!” _

Her head turns to look at my house and she lets out a gasp when she sees the cracked exterior.

“Oh my goodness! Did it hit your house too?”

Her care is nice, I guess. But the irony...is  _ painful. _

“Heh, um, yes- but it didn’t make that crack. That’s actually been there for  _ quite  _ some time.”

She places a hand on my shoulder which startles me a bit.

“Oh okay. I’m glad you’re alright.”

Cindy leans back and sighs. I’m really hoping she changes the subject-

“Gosh, this wizard sounds terrible.”

...Nope! But I gotta find  _ some _ way to defend myself.

“Actually, you know, maybe he’s just misunderstood? And hear me out here, Cindy,  _ maybe _ he’s actually a really nice guy who just wants to help! And he doesn’t even  _ prefer _ the term wizard!”

…

Cindy looks like she’s about to say something, but then reconsiders it. That was probably too strong…

“O...kay? But back to my idea. The wizard is magic, and the princess’ hair  _ has _ to be magic- so what if they’re  _ connected? _ ”

_ Oh great. _ Another rumor.

“Um, well, I don’t think that’s  _ entirely _ possible. And do we really know for sure that her hair is magic?”

Cindy furrows her eyebrows.

“Well, what else could it be?”

…

She’s got me there. Unless I analyzed it I wouldn’t be able to know for sure. But come on,  _ magic? _

I shrug and turn back to the trap. Just needs one more adjustment and it’s done! “It’s an interesting theory, alright, heh!”

She stands up with me, watching intently as I mess with the mechanism. “That’s the spirit! Is this almost done?”

“Yep, almost! Just need to run a few tests. You might want to stand back.”

...Oh shoot- not _ back- _

“Actually, wait, don’t step on the-!”

Too late. She steps directly on the tripwire and-

_ POOF! _

A cloud of smoke fills the air and her feet get stuck in the stuff. At least it worked!

“Heh, whoops! Sorry about that, let me just-”

Cindy looks freaked out.  _ Really _ freaked out. Oh no-

“I can’t get out!”

“Well, that’s- kinda the point-”

“What _is_ this stuff?”  
“Oh, it’s totally harmless, trust me. Just let me-”

I procure the neutralizer and sprinkle some on her feet, melting away the goo.

“There we are!”

…

“Cindy?”

She sounds kind of dazed, keeping her eyes on her feet.

“That was like... _ magic. _ ”

No-  _ noooo- _

She takes a moment to process, looking from me to the house, and then to the invention. Here it comes…

“You’re...you’re him, aren’t you? The  _ wizard-“ _

...There it is.

“Cindy, wait, I’m not-”

She backs up from me, and I feel my stomach drop again. Why can’t I convince people I’m not dangerous?

“That’s why your name was so familiar. And why you were vouching for-”

She looks over her shoulder and starts walking backward incredibly slowly. I’m not sure what I like better. This reaction, or the “laugh in my face” kind.

“Cindy, I promise, I never intended to harm anyone. It was a mistake.”

She shakes her head and turns away from me.

“It..it was nice to meet you Varian, but I think I hear my mom calling me-”

From all the way up here? Likely story. But I guess if she really needs an excuse…

“Oh, alright. I’ll see you Cin-”

Before I can even finish the rest of her name, she’s sprinting down the hill. And I know what’ll happen when she gets down. She’ll spread the story to everyone either on purpose or by accident, the rumors will just build up more and I’ll have to stay in my lab for months at a time again.

Which isn’t a big deal. I’ll be fine.

…

Eventually.

You get used to it after a while, I guess. 

“Just another day for the ‘Dangerous Wizard of Old Corona,’ heh.”

One day I’ll outlive that nickname-

But until then... _ back to the lab! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That wraps up Pre-Series! Next up is What the Hair?! And I can't wait to write it from Varian's pov!! Thank you guys so much for reading!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for reading!! I'm so excited to dive into this series with all of you!! Writing in first person is definitely new to me, but so far it's been a blast!  
> \--  
> A special thanks to my beta reader, @justanotherhopelessfanartist (on tumblr)  
> 


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